Recommendations for Korean YA in English translation

February 18, 2023 1:38 PM

I'm looking for Korean YA fiction in English Translation for my niece.

My niece is getting obsessed with all things Korean. And she's starting to read much more than she did before. I'd like to encourage both pursuits. So I want to send her a box of translated Korean fiction. Wanting to stay closer to the YA side of things but I'm open (and I think she's open) to adult novels too. I've found a variety of listicles of Korean novels in translation, but none of the lists targeted an audience of teen girls.

Hoping someone here will have books in mind. My niece is open to practically all genres. She has a particular interest in fashion but that's not a limit. Non-fiction would also be fine. Especially if it was a memoir of life as a teen girl in Korea.

Manhwa suggestions are also fine. I know a little bit more about that side of things, but I'm sure there's much I'm unaware of.

posted by Teegeeack AV Club Secretary to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Best answer: I unfortunately don't know any Korean YA fiction translated to English but there are a lot of manhwa/graphic novel:

nineteen by anco (this feels more like graphic novel than typical manhwa and it gets pretty dark but it is about being nineteen in South Korea)

Uncomfortably Happily by Hong Yeon-sik

Goong: The Royal Palace (this is a bit dated but it's a uber popular manhwa series that got adapted to a popular Korean drama series and is about high school kids)

Bridge of the Water God (another popular series that got adapted to a Korean drama series)

also this is digital only, but I loved this series about a magical scavenger hunt that takes place in a Korean middle school: Your Letter
posted by Sparkling Natural Mineral Water at 9:28 PM on February 20 [1 favorite]

just found out that Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung was also translated to Korean
posted by Sparkling Natural Mineral Water at 10:07 PM on March 7 [1 favorite]